Town Hall hit
Graffiti on Town Hall
Vandals painted the historic Cambridge Town Hall’s iconic pillars with “Free Palestine” on Matariki evening.
Police, who were conducting patrols on Victoria Street, nabbed two youths at the scene with what appeared to be spray cans and have referred them to Youth Aid.
General manager Simon Brew said the pillars would have to be repainted.
18 June 2025
Landmark Tulip tree removed
The Tulip tree – going and gone.
Liriodendron tulipifera – the Victoria Street tulip tree outside Good Union bar in Cambridge – is no more. The tree was removed on Monday after arborists determined it had reached the end of its life and would become a safety risk. A tree will be planted in its place.
The Tulip Tree is renowned for its towering stature – it can grow to more than 30 metres and its vibrant green leaves are shaped like a tulip with four lobes. The tree type was in the news internationally last year after scientist announced it had a “special type of wood” which could make them useful for carbon capture plantations.
Dr Jan Lyczakowski of Jagiellonian University said some east Asian countries used Liriodendron plantations to efficiently lock in carbon, “and we now think this might be related to its novel wood structure”. The Tulip tree is one of two known survivors of the Liriodendron genus.
John Bishop dies
John Bishop
John Bishop, a man with years of association with Waipā District Council and groups including Cambridge Rotary and the Friends of Cambridge Resthaven, has died.
His funeral service will be held at Mighty River Domain’s Don Rowlands Centre at 1.30pm on Monday.
Dissolution ahead?
Memorie Brooky, left, and Tash Couzner in the new information centre at Hamilton Airport. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
A special meeting of Destination Cambridge later this month will decide whether to dissolve the organisation and transfer all assets to the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce. Key assets include the Cambridge website, promotional and digital collateral and the CBD noticeboard.
Meanwhile Riverside Adventures is manning a new information centre at Hamilton Airport and is providing visitor information and brochures.
Party pooper
Jetstar arrives in Hamilton. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
An Air NZ plane stole the limelight from Jetstar when it left Hamilton Airport for Christchurch 14 minutes later than it should have on Monday. The ATR 72- 600 was parked in front of the terminal when the Jetstar Airbus from Sydney landed at 11.07am, spoiling the shot of Hamilton’s first international flight for 13 years for hundreds gathered in the upstairs viewing area.
See: In and out … international flights return.
Schools on stage
Eleven Waikato school groups including one from Cambridge Middle School will take to the stage at the Claudelands Arena for Showquest 2025 next Thursday (June 26).The event is billed as the country’s biggest student performing arts competition.
Site visit
The Environmental Protection Authority hearing of a bid by Global Contracting Solutions to build a waste to energy incinerator in Te Awamutu has started. A site visit was scheduled yesterday – the second day of a three-week hearing.
